This invention relates to an apparatus and method of aiding the hearing impaired to listen to Television, or, Music, in the same room with other persons having normal hearing, without requiring the sound to be turned up to a higher level, in order to hear the sounds.
It has been customary for the hearing impaired to be seated closer to the source of the audio sound than persons with normal hearing, or, to have the audio sound turned to a higher level than ordinary, in order for the hearing impaired to enjoy the same sounds as the persons with the normal hearing. This situation causes much frustration to either the hearing impaired, or the persons with normal hearing, because, either the hearing impaired cannot hear the sounds, or, the persons with normal hearing are required to listen to the audio sounds at a much higher level than they can enjoy, or, a seating arrangement must be used, which can be a problem in most rooms.
Several approaches have been provided for aiding these persons with impaired hearing. Chairs have been designed with speakers implanted in the backs of the chairs, and, these devices do aid the hearing impaired, however, the chair assignment in the room must be decided in advance, and, cleaning the room becomes a frustration to the cleaner, due to the required wires on the floor being a nuisance to the vacuum cleaner, sweeper, or general cleaning.
Crenna, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,525 teaches a set of head phones, connected to the sound source, to aid the hearing impaired. There is a definite problem with these devices, in that the person with the hearing impaired cannot enter into any other discussions with the persons with normal hearing, due to the fact that the headphones blank out all of the other audio sounds.
Another approach is taught by Southern, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,656, wherein a large, complicated audio amplifier is placed in the room with the person with the hearing impairment, and all audio sounds are transmitted to the headphones of any person with the impaired hearing. Obviously, this system would be a nuisance to the normal household, as well as being very expensive.